During this decade--more than at any time in the past--we will be called upon to change the ways in which we live our lives and do our work.
All of us have seen and felt these changes over the past several years. Only a very rare individual among us has been exempt. From the CEO on down, all existing job descriptions are changing (radically, in some cases) to meet the needs of our changing world.
How are we being asked to change? Typically, we hear such changes characterized as our being asked to do more with less, but it isn't quite that simple.
We are in a period of time that can be referred to as a transition between the changing ages. As I noted in last month's "ASHE President's Letter," we are moving from the Industrial Age to the Information/Service Age. As industries, companies and health facilities face the years ahead, they need to develop more efficient and more effective methodologies to remain competitive in the products and services they provide.
There was a time when the effect of such innovations took a while to sink in, allowing those in the field to adapt over time. With today's sophisticated information gathering and sorting capabilities, however, our ability to create new innovations from what was innovative yesterday no longer affords us the luxury of getting used to an idea before the next one comes along. Often, time does not permit us to develop an idea completely before we are asked to come up with another new one.
How do we survive this pace? If we look at this never-ending cycle, we may wonder if we can. One thing is certain, though: Current methods for developing solutions to our problems must change to adapt to the environment that drives what we do.
I encourage you to include ASHE and its educational opportunities as an extension of the spirit of collaboration that will be required of all of us as we respond to change during the beginning of this century.
In the same way that institutional problem solving now requires more input from more individuals before decisions are made, interaction with your peers will enhance the value of the contributions that you make to your facility's team effort. As a membership society, ASHE maintains its commitment to share the ideas of its members. In turn, ASHE recognizes those who make substantial contributions to the profession by designating Fellow and Senior members of the society.
I urge all of you to take advantage of your opportunities to collaborate with your peers through ASHE.
W. Thomas Schipper, CCE, FASHE
Senior consultant, environment of care
Kaiser Permanente, Walnut Center/Parsons East
Pasadena, Calif.
UPDATE: Resources you need at special prices
ASHE makes important educational resources available to those in the health care industry. To order any of the following, call the American Hospital Association's order services department at (800) 242-2626 or log on to www.ahaonlinestore.com:
Revised--Space Planner Toolkit. This space planning toolkit is ideal for hospital planners, facilities managers, programmers, consultants and other managers who need help analyzing physical space needs, master planning and project initiation in health care environments. Catalog number: 055233, price: $495.
Waste Management Issues for Health Care Facilities. This book serves as a guide to the issues related to managing waste in a health care facility. Use this book to prepare a system for your facility's waste management. Catalog number: 055232, price: $85 for ASHE members, $125 for nonmembers.
The 2002 edition of the ASHE Fire, Electrical & Life Safety Compendium enables managers to find the requirements that impact the construction and operation of health care facilities and the people who work in them. The book helps identify fire, electrical and life safety requirements. Catalog number: 055882, price: $65 for ASHE members, $85 for nonmembers.
Preparing for the Certified Healthcare Facility Manager Exam ... A Compendium of Resources is used when preparing to take the exam. Order number: 055354, price: $75 for ASHE members, $95 for nonmembers (plus shipping).
ASHE offers career help
Career Flash, a weekly e-newsletter by ASHE, contains important information on job opportunities, and is sent to all ASHE members who have provided an e-mail address. For information on ad placement, go to www.ashe.org.
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